Count them, all those records.
Conor McGregor might not be getting the chance to clinch a second belt in a second UFC weight division on the first weekend of March thanks to Rafael dos Anjos’ mangled foot, but his pairing with Nate Diaz means that the Dubliner will make another piece of history anyway.
The Notorious has met his antagonistic, shit-stirring match in his new American opponent and, if anything, it’s only upped the hype of UFC 196 to whole new levels.
Conor McGregor agreeing to a five-round battle with Diaz means that this fight is the first five-round non-title fight to take the main event over a five-round title fight co-main event.
It also means that it is the first time in 145 such events that a non-title fight takes precedence over a title fight.
Not here to take part and all that.
McGregor-Diaz at #UFC196 will be the first non-title @ufc main event with a title fight in the co-main since …
UFC 51
— Phil Murphy © (@Phil_Sports) February 24, 2016
On the cover of Sports Illustrated too. Not too shabby.
It is an honor to be the first Irishman to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated!
What a time… https://t.co/Z31uPR1hfI— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) February 24, 2016